It is alleged that Stokes, with an address in Glasgow, along with Mulcahy, Nolan and a fourth man, made a demand with menaces on March 13, 2011 to Mr Simpson at The Castle Bar in Summerhill, north inner city Dublin, to stop trading and “close within 24 hours”.

The fourth man has since died and cannot be named for legal reasons.

Mr Simpson today told the court that he was “punched in the chest” by Stokes on the same date.

Paul Carroll, BL, for the prosecution, said that the case centred around two bars - The Players Lounge, owned at the time by Stokes, and The Castle Bar which was being run by Mr Simpson’s brother Stephen.

The jury was told that Stokes, whose son Anthony, 24, plays with the Scottish League champions, travelled to The Castle Bar three times on Sunday, March 13.

On the second visit, at around 8.30pm, it is alleged that Stokes arrived at the bar in a taxi and confronted the Mr Simpson.

Mr Carroll explained that during the exchange Stokes said: “I want youse out of there.

“And if you are not gone before Paddy’s Day, youse and your pub are gone.”

Mr Simpson later told the court that there was a heated argument between the pair and Stokes boxed him in the chest.

Mr Carroll told the court that Stokes returned several hours later with Mulcahy and Nolan and the fourth man as part of a “joint enterprise to come and make an unwarranted demand with menaces”.

The court heard that Stokes again made demands to the barman.

It is alleged that Mr Stokes said: “You’re fronting the pub for O’Reilly. We are giving you 24 hours to close the pub down. 24 hours and that’s the end of you.”

Mr Simpson, 28, later told the court that he started working at The Castle pub in February 2011 after his brother Stephen took over the lease.

He explained that he opened the premises at 12.30pm on March 13 of that year and shortly after Stokes arrived at the premises with the fourth man and another unidentified individual.

He said the three demanded to speak with the owner about “video footage” and after a quick phone call his brother Stephen arrived at the bar.

Anthony Stokes

Mr Simpson explained that his brother and the three men went into an office at the rear of the bar and were in there for “just a few minutes”.

Following the meeting the three men left and Shane walked in to speak with his brother.

Asked to describe how his brother looked Shane Simpson said: “He was just sitting there and shaking.”

Mr Simpson explained that his brother left a short time later and he finished his shift in the bar.

He had a few drinks after work and he was standing outside the bar when Stokes arrived in a taxi at 8.30pm.

The witness explained that Stokes was demanding to speak with his brother and he accused them of fronting the bar for another individual.

However he was unable to say if Stokes was demanding that the bar be closed in 24 hours.

“I was shouting at him and he was shouting at me.”

He continued: “He was standing very close so I put my hand on him to stand away and he boxed me in the chest.”

Mr Simpson said he was confused by the attack.

A number of hours later Mr Simpson said the four men returned and again demanded to speak with his brother.

He said he asked them what it was about and they told him they had received threatening phone calls from the pub and were seeking video footage.

He said they took one of his mobile phones and left, but he rang his brother from a second cellphone.

Mr Simpson said he then saw the car with the men in it coming back and he stuck up his finger and shouted at Nolan.

He said it was about Nolan’s tattoo on his face and that he “gave him a bit of stick about it”.

He then said two of the men, Mulcahy and Nolan, got out of the car and chased him.

He ran on to the North Circular Road, saw a Garda car and stopped it.

He said he was “a bit afraid” because he did not know what was going to happen and “a bit annoyed they had been down about the phone calls”.